Ezekwesili accuses Senate of denying fair hearing

Abdullateef Fowewe

The former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has criticised the Senate for reportedly not allowing fair hearing during a recent dispute at the Senate committee on ethics and privileges.

Ezekwesili during an appearance on Channels TV on Wednesday, recounted her clash with Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi at the committee hearing about sexual harassment accusations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

She said, “The expectation continues to be that the senators would understand the criticality of fair hearing as the cornerstone of any democratic system and that wherever that is not recognised it affects the entire democracy and justice system of the country.

“All we faced yesterday was a repeat of a pattern of using Senate rules to ensure our voices were silenced, and It was unbelievable. It was just a repeat pattern of a culture of saying even when you have your right, we do not recognize it because we are the powerful people.”